The Office for National Statistics has presented the people of Wales with a portrait of the nation which is at once exciting and challenging.

THE Office for National Statistics has presented the people of Wales with a portrait of the nation which is at once exciting and challenging.

There is proof that, though mines may close and chapels may dwindle, not all Welsh institutions are in inevitable decline.

Even a decade ago, the idea that four out of 10 children would be able to speak, read and write Welsh would seem incredible.

When only 11% of those in their parents' generation can achieve the same feat, this transformation will seem even more heartening to those who believe it is important to cher- ish the language and not let it die.

But if educational statistics are a source of encouragement in this instance, they are a reason for grave concern elsewhere.

The flight of graduates from Wales is a phenomenon which, like a tear in the canvas of a hot-air balloon, will prevent the country's economy from ever truly taking off.

While many skilled people come into Wales to work, the nation needs to hang on to its entrepreneurs who know their communities intimately. We must give these men and women the trust and resources they need to push their ideas to the limit in Wales.

Most people would agree that it is a good thing that children today are learning to speak Welsh. But it is also crucial that they are taught that Wales is not somewhere you run away from to make a success.

Starting a company, excelling in a profession and practising an art, are all things which can be done to the highest possible standards on this side of the Severn bridge.

If we do not believe this, there is little chance that our children will.

But, as the revival in our language has shown, a combination of opportunity, political will and community support can bring transformations.

The message that Wales is a place where you can live life to the full, is worth preaching outside the classroom as well.

Irish airports are full of men and women returning to the land of their birth, to invest their skills in the towns in which they grew up.

Wales needs this sort of home-coming. We know how to throw a good celebration. If bright minds with great ideas come back, we will have a reason to hold one.